We're Witnessing Another Case Of Mcguire At Work

NHL - A closer look

The Whalers enter the 1994-95 season with new ownership, an infusion of money, a mandate to win now and a renewed hope the franchise can gain stability and respectability.

The nightmare that was the 1993- 94 season is over, an inglorious past no doubt everybody would like to forget.

Everybody, it seems, except Pierre McGuire.

Fired as coach of the Whalers in May after a near insurrection by his players, McGuire apparently couldn't take his $200,000 salary, walk away quietly and let his disastrous reign end without fanfare. Whatever his motivation, McGuire got back at his former employer.

The Whalers had signed free agent right wing Steve Rice off Edmonton's roster and the Oilers were seeking defenseman Bryan Marchment as compensation. The Whalers offered forwards Robert Kron and Robert Petrovicky.

Edmonton general manager Glen Sather, known for his savvy and moxie, found the perfect witness.

So there was McGuire in New York last Monday, by Edmonton's invitation, willing to testify on the Oilers' behalf in the arbitration hearing against the Whalers to decide compensation.

McGuire apparently saw no conflict of interest in this despite the fact he is being paid by the Whalers for this season and the fact he has been hired by Northeast Division foe Ottawa as a part-time scout.

One can imagine the Senators would love to see Marchment, the kind of player who could bury Ottawa's talented young forwards into the boards with a body check, out of the division and in an Edmonton uniform. Still, McGuire didn't deem his appearance on Edmonton's behalf inappropriate.

``All I was asked to do -- I was called by Glen Sather -- was just talk about the four players that were involved,'' McGuire said.

McGuire did more than talk. He showed up with confidential coaches evaluations prepared after last season. The evaluations were used with his testimony.

Arbitrator George Nicolau allowed their use over Whalers protests. According to arbitration rules, Edmonton has a right to access to those reports and can demand they be produced for evidence.

``We did ask them if they had anything and they told us they didn't have anything,'' Sather said. ``Then Pierre showed up in New York with these coaching reports and showed them to our lawyers.''

The Whalers claim that, during the turnover of ownership from Richard Gordon to the Compuware group and subsequent transition period, the new management was not made aware of the existence of those evaluations.

Although that explanation might be a little too convenient for some, the Whalers say McGuire may have breached his contract by removing them from the Whalers offices and allowing another team access to that confidential information. If they are right, the Whalers potentially could refuse to pay McGuire for the final year of the contract and possibly recover punitive damages.

Sather was quick to come to McGuire's defense.

``I think the Whalers are crazy trying to stiff this guy,'' Sather said. ``This guy wasn't the turning point in this thing.''

Perhaps not. The Whalers are not appealing the ruling and Marchment, who figured heavily in their plans, was expected to arrive in Edmonton this weekend to begin camp.

So Sather got what he wanted in Marchment. And whatever McGuire's goal in participating in the arbitration -- be it vengeance or loyalty to Ottawa or the knowledge a powerful GM such as Sather will owe him a favor -- he got what he wanted, too.

Word has it the Whalers have fielded calls from around the league expressing shock and disbelief at McGuire's actions. Legal or not, it was the kind of act many who worked with McGuire have come to expect.

And McGuire, who managed to lose the respect of most in the Whalers organization in a very short period, has revealed himself to everybody. Only time will tell how much damage he has done to a once promising career.

Now he has landed in Ottawa, where the Senators have established themselves as one of the all- time worst teams in the league at 24- 131-13 in two years in the league, while other expansion franchises have quickly become competitive.

McGuire is a longtime friend of Ottawa GM Randy Sexton going back to their days in college hockey.

With McGuire contractually tied to the Whalers, the Senators needed permission to hire him. The Whalers gave it, though McGuire, as part of his duties, will no doubt be asked to prepare scouting reports of the Whalers for the Senators. This while collecting more than $190,000 from the Whalers and $10,000 Canadian from the Senators. Asked why the Whalers would allow McGuire to do that, one insider said they are ``not concerned about his scouting reports and opinions.''

Meanwhile, Sexton announced last week the Senators' goals for the season are to slash 100 goals from their league-worst total of 397 against, play .500 hockey at home and challenge for a playoff berth. The Senators, 8-30-4 at home last season, finished 47 points out of a playoff berth.